Removable cocking handle for a firearm breech bolt and mounting means therefor



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E. REMOVABLE CO BOLT March 18, 1969 United States Patent 4 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cocking handle and means for removablymounting the same on the bolt assembly of a semi-automatic firearm tofacilitate removal of the bolt assembly during take down, wherein thecocking handle is quickly detached from the bolt assembly by manuallyrotating the coking handle and sliding the latter out of engagement withthe bolt assembly.

This invention relates to means for removably mounting a manuallyoperable cocking handle on a reciprocating bolt assembly in asemi-automatic firearm to faciliate removal of the bolt assembly duringtake down. The bolt assembly is provided with a laterally extendingaperture which intersects a longitudinally extending bolt assemblyaperture, the latter having locking means mounted therein. A handle isprovided having a stem portion for insertion into the lateral boltassembly aperture, the stem having a longitudinally extending fiat atone end thereof, and further having a circumferential groove thereonopening into the fiat. The flat permits the stem to be inserted into thelateral bolt assembly aperture without engaging the locking means, andthe groove is provided to engage the locking means upon rotation of thestem within the lateral bolt assembly aperture.

The bolt assembly on a semi-automatic firearm has, in the prior art,included a manually operable cocking handle which can be detached fromthe bolt assembly to permit the latter to be removed from the receiverduring take down of the firearm. The function of such a cocking handleduring operation of the firearm is to provide means whereby the boltassembly can be manually moved to the rear of the receiver and thuscocked. In the prior art, various means have been utilized to removablymount the cocking handle on the bolt assembly. One such mounting meansconsists of providing a threaded aperture on the bolt assembly andthreading a stem portion of the cocking handle so that the latter isscrewed into the bolt assembly. This arrangement has provenunsatisfactory due first to the cost of machining the threaded partssince the size of the cocking handle and bolt assembly requires thatcomparatively fine threads be utilized, and secondly, to the fact thatrepeated firing of the weapon tends to loosen the threaded engagementbetween the cocking handle and the bolt assembly. Furthermore, since thecocking handle of this prior art embodiment is rigidly afiixed to thebolt assembly, sharp acceleration of the latter during reciprocalmovement thereof when firing the weapon, creates forces which aredirected at right angles to the axis of the handle. Such forces causegreat stress in the handle thereby requiring the handle to be made oftougher, more expensive metals.

Another such mounting means disclosed in the prior art consists of theuse of locking pins or screws which are removably inserted into the boltassembly to engage the cocking handle and hold the latter in placethereon. This mounting means has also proven unsatisfactory because thelocking pins or screws may easily be misplaced when the firearm is takendown in the field, and because special tools are required to remove thelocking pins or screws from the bolt assembly. Still further, here againthe cocking handle is rigidly afiixed to the bolt assembly and theabove-noted high stress conditions are imposed on the cocking handleduring reciprocation of the bolt upon firing of the weapon.

Still another such mounting means disclosed, in the prior art, consistsof a cap which is disposed on the bolt assembly in engagement with thecocking handle, locking the latter to the bolt assembly. This mountingmeans has proven unsatisfactory due to the necessity of speciallymachining the receiver and stock to provide clearance whereby the capcan be removed from the bolt assembly to permit removal of the cockinghandle during take down of the weapon. In addition to added expense,such special ma ching results in a weakening of both the receiver andstock.

It is, therefore, an objective of this invention to provide a cockinghandle which may be quickly attached to and detached from the boltassembly on a semi-automatic firearm without the use of tools.

It is a still further objective of this invention to provide arelatively simple and inexpensive cocking handle and means for mountingthe same on the bolt assembly of a semi-automatic firearm.

It is yet another objective of this invention to provide a cockinghandle and means for mounting the sam on the bolt assembly of asemi-automatic firearm wherein stress upon the cooking handle resultingfrom reciprocation of the bolt assembly during firing of the firearm isreduced.

Other and further objectives, :and advantages, and features of thisinvention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from thefollowing descriptions together with the appended drawings, in.which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the cocking handle of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of a portion of a semi-automatic firearmutilizing the cocking handle and mounting means therefor of thisinvention;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmental vertical sectional view of the cocking handleof this invention after initial insertion thereof into the bolt assemblyaperture showing the clearance between the locking means and the cockinghandle fiat;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmental vertical sectional view taken along line 55 ofFIGURE 3 showing the cocking handle of this invention in engagement withthe locking means;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view along line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, FIGURE 1 discloses anembodiment of the cocking handle of this invention indicated generallyby the numeral 2. The cocking handle includes a cylindrical stem 4having a fiat 6 extending longitudinally from one end thereof to definea radial shoulder 7. A circumferentially extending groove 8 is cut intothe external surface of the stem 4, the circumferential groove 8 openinginto the flat 6 at points 10 and 11 adjacent to the shoulder 7. Thebottom wall of the groove 8 includes a flat portion 13, which isdiametrically opposite the flat 6, the distance between the groove fiat13 and the axis of the stem 4 being greater than the distance betweenthe flat 6 and the axis of the stem 4. The other end of the handle 2 isprovided with an enlarged disk-like portion 12, the latter providing asurface of engagement for the hand of a person firing the weapon tofacilitate manual cocking of the bolt assembly.

FIGURE 3 discloses a conventional semi-automatic firearm with which thecocking handle of this invention is utilized. The firearm includes areceiver 14 having a bolt assembly 16, schematically represented bydotted lines, mounted therein in a known manner for reciprocal movementwithin the receiver. An ejection port 18 is provided in the side of thereceiver 14 adjacent to the bolt assembly 16 for the ejection of spentcartridge casings from the receiver. The cocking handle 2 is mounted onthe bolt assembly 16 and extends through the ejection port 18 in aconventional manner.

FIGURE 4 and FIGURE 5 are more particularly directed toward the mannerand means by which the cocking handle 2 is locked into the bolt assembly16, Referring to FIGURE 4, the cocking handle is inserted into anaperture 20 which extends laterally into the bolt assembly 16. A secondaperture 22, extending longitudinally in the bolt assembly 16,intersects the aperture 20, the axis of the aperture 20 being spacedapart from the axis of the aperture 22. A blade spring 24 is mounted inone end 26 of the aperture 22, the blade spring 24 extending through theintersection of the apertures 20 and 22.

The cocking handle 2 is initially inserted into the aperture 20 with theflat 6 providing clearance between the stem 4 and the blade spring 24until the latter engages the shoulder 7 as shown in FIGURE 4. Thecocking handle is then manually rotated through an angle ofapproximately 180 to deflect the blade spring 24 to a position of stress24 wherein the blade spring engages the groove fiat 13 as shown inFIGURE 6. Biased engagement of the blade spring 24' and the groove fiat13 locks the cocking handle against accidental rotational movement, andbiased engagement of the blade spring 24' and the wall of the groove 8locks the cocking handle against accidental longitudinal movement.

Referring to FIGURE 6, when the weapon is fired, the bolt assembly 16will be accelerated to the left. Since the stem 4 is not rigidlyaflfixed to the bolt assembly 16, when the bolt assembly 16 acceleratesto the left, the cocking handle stem 4 will tend to roll in a clockwisedirection within the aperture 20 and against the bias of the spring 24.In this manner, some of the shearing force imposed upon the stem 4 bythe acceleration of the bolt assembly 16 will be directed against thespring 24' with the result that the cocking handle stem 4 is subjectedto less stress than if it were rigidly mounted in the bolt assembly.

The cocking handle 2 may be easily removed from the bolt assembly fortake down by manually rotating the stem 4 through an angle ofapproximately 180, thereby permitting the blade spring 24 to return toits stress-free position, as shown in FIGURE 4, and subsequently slidingthe stem 4 out of the aperture 20.

What is claimed is:

1. In a semi-automatic firearm having a receiver and a bolt assemblymounted for reciprocating movement Within the receiver, means forremovably mounting a manually operable cocking handle on the boltassembly which mounting ITICZiI'lS comprises:

(a) a cylindrical stern on said cocking handle, said stern having alongitudinally extending flat on one end thereof and said stem having acircumferential groove thereon, said groove opening into said flat;

(b) said bolt assembly having a laterally extending aperture to receivesaid cocking handle stem;

(c) locking means mounted on said bolt assembly and intersecting saidlateral aperture, said locking means being engageable with the wall ofsaid cocking handle stem groove when said cocking handle stem isinserted into said lateral aperture and rotated therein.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cocking handle stem grooveincludes a fiat bottom wall portion to engage said locking means whensaid cocking handle stem is rotated within said lateral aperture.

3. A bolt assembly for a firearm, which bolt assembly comprises:

(a) a removable cocking handle with a cylindrical stem portion, saidstem portion having a flat formed at one end thereof and said stemportion further having a circumferential groove thereon, said groovecommunicating with said flat;

(b) said bolt assembly having an aperture to receive said stem portionof said cocking handle; and

(0) locking means mounted on said bolt assembly, said locking meansintersecting said bolt assembly aperture to engage the wall of saidcocking handle stem groove when said cocking handle stem is insertedinto said bolt assembly aperture and rotated therein.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said cocking handle stem grooveincludes a flat bottom wall portion to engage said locking means whensaid cocking handle stem is rotated within said bolt assembly aperture.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, PrimaryExaminer.

